Little Bird Wish
by JBFSignal
Summary: "I-I wish I can protect Umi-chan like how she always protected me…"


**A/N : This is the story that I made for** **love live big bang** **2016 and this story is my best one I ever write. It is not perfect and there's some scene that I cut due the time but I still this one is my best creation so far and ofc this is all because of the help I got from:**

 **cutebunnys50** **thank you for being my partner and keep up with my procrastinating. You are a really great partner who not only keep up with my procrastinating but also help me with the story, and made me opened up with you because of your cheeriness. You are the best! Thank you for loving my story! XD**

 **nikoxnii thank you for being an awesome friend who proofread this story and help me by giving me so much advice and help eventhough you are busy. I still can't believe that you keep up with me after all this time, but really thank you for that. I am so happy I can call you my friend XD.**

 **Please check out the awesome art on tumblr, cutebunnys50! XD**

 _Italics - Thoughts_

 ** _Italics and Bold - Past_**

 **~Little Bird Wish~**

The sound of the children's laughter that surrounded her was the only sound she could hear as she shivered in fear. It was funny how when she was up there in the trees, this sound was what made her happy, but,now, when she was down here, surrounded by them, poking at every inch of her body, she couldn't help but feel scared.

"Please stop…" she chirped softly in her shaking voice as the children's laughter grew.

Her mom once told her how scary humans could be and yet she never paid any attention to it; she thought that her mom overreacted, as she loved their laughter when she was safe in her small, comfy nest. Whoever thought that it only needed one strong wind to destroy everything she knew.

"Please…" she chirped once again, loudly this time hoping that they will hear her plead but just like before, her chirping reached deaf ears as the children keep laughing and poking at her.

At a time like this, she wished that she wasn't born as a little bird who was unable to do anything to defend herself. If only she was a dog or a cat, she probably could defend herself by barking or hissing or even biting and clawing. But no, she was just a little bird who couldn't do anything.

"Stop it! Leave her alone!" a loud trembling voice suddenly shouted, piercing through the children's laughter, making them stop.

She looked up.

A small bluenette girl, the one she recognized as the shy, quiet one who always sat under her tree and did nothing but read a book, stood a few feet away from where she and the other children were. Her golden eyes that were usually warm and unsure, reflected nothing but anger and fear as she kept her eyes on the other children.

"What do you want?" one of the children asked.

"Leave her alone," the bluenette quietly said, her voice trembling, and the bird was sure that the girl felt just as afraid as her. But the girl did not back down; instead she stood firm as she looked straight into the boy's eyes.

Both of them held their stares, neither of them backing down while the other children looked between the two, seemingly waiting for something to happen. Finally, after a long silence, the boy scoffed before he threw the stick in his hand to the ground. "It's not worth it," he mumbled as he walked away, by one, the other children followed, leaving the bluenette girl with the bird.

The bluenette let out a trembling sigh of relief before turning her attention towards her, giving a shaky little smile.

"Thank you," she said in a small, grateful chirp. The small smile on the girl's face grew slightly bigger and more sincere as the bluenette walked towards her. Slowly and softly, as she was afraid one wrong move will hurt her, she gathered her into her warm, soft palms.

"It's okay…" the bluenette softly said, offering her a smile once again as she picked her up slowly from the ground, making her let out another small chirp, "I will take care of you, and I promise that they will never hurt you ever again."

^8^

Kotori was randomly singing in boredom when she heard the sound of the house's front door slide open, making her stop abruptly to look at the door in front of her with eyes big and full of excitement. She wanted to jump in excitement, however she stopped herself and tried to stay silent, waiting to hear another sign that, indeed, the one who had just slid the door was the one she's been waiting for.

And soon enough, her effort paid off when she heard a soft, gentle voice coming from the front door, "I'm home."

"Umi-chan!" Kotori chirped loudly, happy to hear the sounds of the girl she's been waiting for in the last few hours; she jumped around inside her cage, making it shake a little. She was so happy that Umi had finally come home, as she was already so bored without the girl around.

There was a sound of footsteps before the door in front of Kotori slid open, revealing Umi's smiling face. "Hello Kotori," Umi said, beaming at the bird.

Kotori quickly flapped her wings happily before she flew towards Umi; Umi always made sure that her cage door opened so she could fly if she wanted to. The bird circled the girl, making her let out a laugh when she saw Kotori's antics.

"You really missed me, didn't you?" Umi asked, smiling at the bird who kept flying above her head.

"Of course! I was so bored, but it's okay now since you are here, Umi-chan!" Kotori chirped happily., "Why do you always stop me from following you to this school or dojo?" Kotori continued to chirp, but this time in disappointment. She really hated every time Umi went to these places, as she left Kotori alone, waiting in Umi's room. Umi would usually let Kotori tag along with her everywhere she went except these two places. It had been that way ever since Umi decided to take Kotori in, taking care of her when Kotori refused to leave the bluenette's side years ago. That was why Kotori really hated those places, as she was unaccustomed to leaving Umi side.

"Be careful, Kotori, or you will hurt yourself," Umi said, shaking her head as she reached her hands out towards Kotori and smiled. "Come here." Kotori, understanding what Umi wanted her to do, quickly stopped her circling and landed on Umi's fingers. "Good girl, Kotori," Umi said as she petted Kotori's head before kissing it, eliciting a happy chirp from the animal. "I missed you too," Umi said, smiling at Kotori. "I'm sorry practice took much more time than usual."

Kotori blinked at Umi before she finally paid attention to Umi's clothes; the bluenette wore her usual clothes that she always wore when she went to this Dojo place. "So that's why you are so late; you are going to the dojo." Kotori chirped in understanding; Umi was, after all, always coming home late if she went to the dojo- unlike school where Umi would come home at the same time.

"Wait here for a second, Kotori," Umi said as she maneuvered her hands towards the cage. "Let me change my clothes first, and then we will go help mother."

"Okay!" Kotori chirped cheerfully as she jumped down from Umi's fingers towards the perch as she waited patiently for Umi to finish. It only took a few minutes for Umi to change, and as soon as she finished, she walked towards Kotori and offered her hand once again towards the little bird who happily jumped onto it. Umi then put her fingers on her shoulder, and Kotori walked onto it, standing firmly on top.

"Let's go," Umi said as she exited her room and entered the kitchen where her mother was preparing their dinner. "Did you need any help, mother?" Umi asked as soon as she entered, making the older woman stop whatever she was doing before she looked at Umi and Kotori.

"Mother!" Kotori chirped happily when she saw Umi's mother; she was Kotori's second favorite person in the house aside from Umi, as she always took care of Kotori and gave her food.

"Yes, of course," Umi's mother answered, smiling at them. "But you need to wash your hands first, and put Kotori away from your shoulder, because no matter how much we love her, I don't think I like having my dinner with feathers in it. That, and it is dangerous for her to be near the fire."

"I understand," Umi answered as she took Kotori off of her shoulder and put the little bird on one of the kitchen counters away from where Umi's mom stood. Petting her once, she said in a soft voice, "Wait here, okay?"

"Okay…" Kotori chirped dejectedly.

"Good girl," Umi smiled before she walked to the sink, washing her hands before going to her mother's side to help the older woman. Kotori, having nothing to do, observed them from where she stood in silence, hoping that Umi will soon finish helping her mother so they can play together.

"How's practice today?" Kotori heard Umi's mother asked as she handing Umi a knife and a carrot. "It went fine," Umi answered, taking them from her mother's hand and began to work with it. "Honoka came to the Dojo today."

"Honoka-chan was here?" Kotori chirped happily when she heard Honoka's name. Honoka was Umi's best friend and Kotori really liked the energetic ginger hair girl as she was always there for Umi and her.

"Oh? She was?"

"Yes, she wanted to try Kyuudo," she said.

"So how did it go?"

Umi let out a sigh, "Disaster,"

"I'm sure it's not that bad, Umi."

"It was; she didn't follow any steps that I told her to do and she tried to use my bows even though I told her she needed to find a lighter one," Umi said, shaking her head, "In the end, she couldn't pull the string and she accidently hit me on the arm."

"I'm sorry to hear that, dear," the older woman said as she looked at Umi, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, it's nothing. Besides, I already scolded her." Umi said sternly, making Umi's mother laugh while Kotori could only chirp, feeling sorry for the ginger haired girl. Umi could be really scary sometimes and Kotori had seen her fair share of it when Umi scold the ginger hair girl in front of her.

"Give Honoka some slack, okay? Not everyone is good on their first try."

"But still-"

"Not even you, Umi. I remember how you used to cry before when your father scolded you."

"Mother!" Umi shouted, her face red in embarrassment. Unfortunately for her, she was too preoccupied with what her mother said to pay attention to what she was doing, making her accidentally cut her finger.

"Ow!" Umi shouted in surprise, alerting Kotori who quickly flew towards her while chirping anxiously,

"Umi-chan! Are you okay?!"

"Are you okay, Umi?" the older woman asked worriedly as she looked at her daughter who quickly ran to the sink and put her hand under the running faucet. The anxious Kotori landed on her shoulder and jumped worriedly as her eyes kept looking at Umi's wounded finger.

"I'm fine, it was just a small cut," Umi said reassuringly to her mother and Kotori.

"You need to be careful, Umi," her mother said, sighing while Kotori chirped in agreement. "See? Even Kotori agrees with me."

"I will," Umi said, nodding her head, "I'm sorry that I made you worry, mother, Kotori." Umi smiled gently as she petted Kotori's head with her unwounded finger.

"It's okay," Kotori chirped as she nuzzled her head towards Umi more.

"I can't let you keep helping in the kitchen with a wounded finger," Umi's mother said, shaking her head.

"It's just a small cut," Umi argued.

"Even so, it still will be uncomfortable to work in the kitchen, Umi," the older woman said, making Umi let out a small sigh as she looked down to the floor, feeling guilty.

"I'm sorry," Umi softly said.

"It's fine," the older woman answered with a smile. "How about you wait there for a while until I finish preparing dinner for us? I will tell you if I need some help."

"Okay," Umi answered.

They fell into silence as Umi's mother focused on the task in her hands while Umi played with Kotori, who took all of Umi's attention for a few minutes before Umi's mother broke the silence.

"Umi, I think we run out of salt," the older woman said as she looked at Umi and showed the girl the empty bottle of salt. "Can you please go and buy it for me?"

"Sure." Umi nodded her head, "I will go now."

"Thank you; wait let me give you the money."

"There's no need, I can use my money first," Umi said smiling at her mother while Kotori let out a happy chirp on her shoulder.

"You will bring Kotori with you?"

"Yes," Umi nodded, petting Kotori's head softly, "I think she needs some fresh air; I bet she's a bit bored staying inside the house all day."

"I am!" Kotori chirped in agreement.

"Okay, please be careful."

"I will," Umi said, nodding her head towards her mother before excusing herself while Kotori chirped,

"We're off, mother!"

^8^

The entire walk from Umi's house to the store was filled with Umi talking to Kotori about how her day went and Kotori occasionally replying with small happy chirps. This was one of many traits that Kotori loved about Umi; she always, without fail, told Kotori everything that happened to her and as a result, Kotori always knew the things Umi went through. She knew when Umi fell on her face a few days ago because Honoka kept pushing her from behind or how Umi got really nervous about her test but later found out she was actually doing well and so forth. It made Kotori feel special since Umi never told her stories to anyone besides her.

"E-excuse me, Miss?" a voice suddenly said, startling Umi and Kotori who had been paying too much attention to Umi's story about Honoka and bread to even notice the woman who was standing behind them.

"Yes?" Umi asked the woman as she turned around; Kotori eyed the woman suspiciously, she was always wary if a stranger approached her and Umi.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but can you help me for a second?" she asked as she looked at Umi pleadingly, "I'm supposed to bring those things back home but I accidentally fell down and I hurt my arm so I can't lift it up…" she continued as she pointed at a box that was placed in front of a store a few meters behind them before showing Umi her bruised arm. "I know it is a lot to ask but I really need the stuff in it for work and I can't really wait any longer or I won't be able to meet my deadline. So, uhm, what I want to ask is...can you please help me bring it to my home?"

"Sure," Umi answered after a few seconds of silence, making the woman smile gratefully.

"Thank you so much! You're a really nice girl!" she said happily before she walked towards the store with Umi following behind.

"This is it, right?" Umi asked as she grabbed the box with her hands and lifted it up when the woman nodded her head.

"Thank you, really," the woman said once again, smiling, "I wanted to ask my friends for help at first but my phone is out of battery so I can't ask them…"

"It's fine," Umi said, smiling reassuringly towards the woman to show that she didn't mind at all. "So where I should take this?"

"Just follow me; it is not that far," the woman said, smiling as she led the way to her house.

The woman and Umi walked side by side with occasional small chat but most of the time their walk was filled with silence while Kotori couldn't help but keep her eyes on the woman. There was something about this woman that Kotori didn't like, she reminded her of the children that used to bully her before Umi came to save her life.

"What's wrong, Kotori?" Umi asked when she felt the little bird fidgeting on her shoulder and once in awhile letting out a small chirp.

"There's something weird with this woman, Umi-chan!" Kotori chirped in answer, looking at Umi with pleading eyes, "I don't think this is a good idea…" she chirped again as she looked at her surroundings; they were now at some sort of dark and narrow alley as the woman said this was a short cut to her house. It made Kotori shiver.

"You don't like being here?" Umi asked, frowning, making Kotori quickly chirp in answer.

"Is your bird okay?" the woman asked, looking at Umi and Kotori.

"I think she hates being here," Umi answered.

"Well, she is a bird after all; I think she is not used to being in an alley," the woman chuckled, "But don't worry, we're almost there. In fact we are already here."

Kotori let out a panicked chirp as she looked around at the dead end where two men suddenly appeared out of nowhere, grinning devilishly as they surrounded Umi while the woman smiled at the now- stiffened girl.

"Nice catch, Saya," one of the men said, smiling at the woman before looking at Umi who took one step back as she dropped the box in her hands.

"Well, she was too easy," the woman said, shrugging.

"Umi-chan, run!" Kotori chirped.

Umi however didn't do what Kotori asked her to as she kept standing there and looked at the men and the woman around her. "I don't think you needed help with the box after all…" Umi mumbled as she glared at the woman who chuckled.

"No, but you can help us by giving us the money you have there or the bird."

Kotori could feel how Umi's body suddenly stiffened up when she heard the last word.

"Why do you want that bird, Saya? It just a bird!" one of the men said, looking at the woman who glared back at the man.

"Are you stupid? Look at that bird's feathers, they're golden! I've never seen any other bird who has feathers as beautiful as that one! It must be a rare breed and if we sold it, we'll make a fortune!"

"Oh, you're right!" the other man said, chuckling and then looking back at Umi. "You heard the boss, so now come here and give us that bird and your money now, little missy." He walked closer, alerting both Kotori and Umi.

"Umi-chan…" Kotori chirped softly.

"Don't worry, Kotori," Umi whispered as she looked at Kotori with her gentle and warm eyes, smiling the smile that she gave to Kotori the day she saved her, "I promise I will protect you."

"Come on, just give us what we want and you can leave this place peacefully, okay?" the man said again, reaching out his hand to touch Umi but before he could, the bluenette girl avoided his hand, kicking him hard in the groin, making him let out a weird strangled voice.

"You will pay for that!" the other man shouted angrily as he charged towards Umi who had been anticipating it and avoided the attack.

It stayed like that for a few minutes with both men, trying to grab and attack Umi while the bluenette girl kept avoiding the attack; when she saw an opening she would counterattack them either with a kick or a punch. However, Kotori knew that Umi couldn't last much longer, the girl's stamina was great but two men attacking her was just too much. Kotori could feel Umi's heavy breathing and sweat as seconds ticked by.

"I think the playtime is over," the man who attacked Umi first gritted his teeth as he pulled out a knife from his jeans' back pocket and pointed the sharp object towards Umi. "Now come on, just give us what we want or we'll hurt you really bad!"

"Don't hurt, Umi-chan!" Kotori chirped as she flew towards the man's face, ignoring Umi's worried voice calling her name and began to peck at him; she won't let this man hurt Umi.

"Argh, stop it!" the man shouted trying to swat Kotori away with his hand. "I said stop it!" he shouted one last time before his hand finally hit Kotori hard, making her fall down and hit the ground.

"Kotori!" she heard Umi shout worriedly at her.

Her body and wings hurt badly that she almost fell unconscious but she continued fighting it; she needed to stay awake, she needed to make sure Umi was safe. Her eyes searched for Umi and when she saw her, she couldn't help but let out a small happy chirp.

"She's safe…" Kotori said softly in relief as she looked at Umi's panicked and worried eyes.

Her happiness didn't last long, as she saw the man who just attacked her suddenly stab Umi right in the stomach, making the bluenette girl let out a small gasp as something red flowed down.

"Umi-chan!" Kotori chirped loudly, or tried to, when she saw the bluenette girl fall down on her knees, holding her stomach. She looked like she was in so much pain but even in her state, she still managed to give Kotori a warm and gentle look.

"Are you crazy?! Why'd you stab her?!" the woman shouted angrily at the man who looked as if he was also shocked.

"I-I didn't mean to! I panicked! She ran to me so I thought she-"

"You-" the woman quickly shook her head, "Come on, let's just get out of here!"

"What about the bird?" the other man asked.

"Leave it, I think it's dying," the woman said, giving Kotori one last glance before she quickly ran out of the alley with the two men trailing closely behind her.

"U-Umi-chan…" Kotori softly chirped as she tried to move her wings.

"K-Kotori…" Umi softly said as she looked at Kotori and to Kotori's horror, the usual light in Umi's eyes seemed to begin to fade away. "Come here…" she reached out her hands to Kotori making her quickly flap her wings. Kotori ignored the pain she felt and flew towards Umi's reaching hand. "I..I'm sorry…"

"Umi-chan…" Kotori chirped sadly as she looked at the girl with her pleading eyes.

"I-I don't think I can go home with you, Kotori…" Umi said with a weak smile as she reached out her other hand towards Kotori and pet the little bird's head, "You k-know how to get back right?"

"No… Umi-chan…" Kotori chirped pleadingly.

"G-Good girl…" Umi said, giving Kotori one last smile before she closed her eyes. Her hands fell down to the ground, making Kotori fly in reflex.

"U-Umi-chan!" Kotori chirped loudly as she flew towards Umi face to peck it lightly, wanting to wake up the bluenette girl. "Please… Umi-chan…" Kotori pleaded when she saw Umi didn't move at all. Kotori tried everything she could, pecking the girl's face, ears, nose, even chirping loudly right in the girl's ear but nothing happened. Umi still didn't show any sign of waking up, she didn't even move at all.

"Umi-chan…" Kotori let out one small sad chirp as she landed down right beside Umi before she tried to put her body right under Umi's hand; she wanted to think that everything that happened was just a nightmare. However, she pleaded, she pleaded really hard that this was indeed just a nightmare and when she woke up, it will be just like before.

That she will see Umi's smile and hear her voice once again.

^8^

When Kotori woke up, she realized that she was in a place she didn't recognize at all. Everything around her was white and it was so bright, just like the sun but unlike that, this light didn't hurt her eyes at all. She looked around, searching for any sign that could help her to know where she was but to no avail.

"Where am I?" Kotori softly chirped before her eyes widened in panic and she looked around the place frantically, "Umi-chan! Where are you, Umi-chan!?" she chirped loudly.

"Kotori…" a soft voice said, making her stop her loud chirping; she looked around confusedly, wanting to see who called her name. She was sure that it wasn't Umi who called her, Umi's voice wasn't like that. This voice was much more lighter.

"Who is it?" Kotori chirped after a few minutes of silence and seeing nothing.

"Here," the voice said again, but this time much closer than before.

Kotori turn around.

A beautiful girl was standing right behind Kotori. She had purple hair that she braided to the side and a pair of twinkling emerald eyes as she looked at Kotori with a gentle motherly smile. Standing right beside her legs was a beautiful yellow fox who looked at Kotori with her piercing bright blue eyes, making Kotori flinch in fear.

"Don't worry, Elicchi won't eat you," the girl said, giggling when she saw how Kotori flinched.

"Wh-Who are you?" Kotori softly asked as she looked at the girl in front of her.

"My name is Nozomi," the girl said, "and this is Eli." She gestured at the fox who bowed towards Kotori.

"Pleasure," the fox said.

"Elicchi and I are people you can call merchants," Nozomi said chuckling a little.

"Merchants?" Kotori asked as she looked at Nozomi curiously.

Nozomi nodded. "Yes, we're here because we heard your plea."

"My plea?" Kotori asked slowly but then suddenly chirped loudly, "Where's Umi-chan?!"

"She's not here," Nozomi answered.

"D-Did you know what happened to her?" Kotori asked worriedly.

Nozomi mirthlessly smile at Kotori, "I'm sorry but your owner already died…"

"N-No! Lie! It's a lie!" Kotori chirped loudly as she shook her head, "Umi-chan is not dead! She can't be! It's a lie!"

"I'm sorry…"

"No…" Kotori shook her head once again, helplessly. "No, Umi-chan…. W-why…"

"I'm really sorry for your loss, Kotori," Nozomi said in a soft voice before she knelt down in front of Kotori.

"Umi-chan…" Kotori softly said.

"We can help you if you want," Nozomi offered suddenly, making Kotori quickly look at the girl.

"H-How?"

"We are merchants." This time Eli was the one who answered Kotori's question. "However, we are not like any other merchants; we sell wishes."

"W-Wishes?"

"Yes."

"S-So if I wish for Umi-chan to be alive again-"

Nozomi shook her head, "I'm afraid it is not that simple, we can't bring back someone who is already dead."

"B-But…"

"However, we can help you by creating a path."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Kotori asked, confused.

"We can't bring someone back alive; that is against the law of nature, but we can tweak some rules," Nozomi explained, smiling at Kotori. "We can bring you back to a time before Umi died."

"Re-Really?" Kotori looked at Nozomi hopefully but then she looked down once again. "Bu-but even if I can go back to a time before it happened, I can't do anything… I can't help Umi-chan… I am just a little bird who can't do anything."

Nozomi smiled, "What is your wish, Kotori?"

"I-I wish I can protect Umi-chan like how she always protected me…" Kotori softly chirped.

"Then I will grant that wish," Nozomi said before she looked at Eli. "Can you please give Kotori that thing?"

"Sure, Nozomi," Eli said as walked behind Nozomi, rummaging a leather bag that Kotori didn't see before and walked towards Kotori. She put some seeds in front of the little bird.

"What is it?" Kotori asked looking at it curiously.

"It's my invention. It's a seed that can change you into a human," Nozomi said.

"H-Human?!" Kotori chirped loudly as her eyes went wide.

"Yes, if you are a human then you can protect your dear Umi right?" Nozomi said, smiling teasingly at the little bird.

"Th-Thank you…"

"Don't thank me yet," Nozomi said, making the little bird look at her, "I'm not giving you these things for free, you know. I am a merchant and that is why everything that I will give to you comes with a price."

"B-But I don't have anything that I can give to you…" Kotori chirped nervously.

"You have," Nozomi said firmly, "I want your feathers and Umi's memories about you for the payment."

"Wh-What?" Kotori blinked.

"You have really lovely feathers, Kotori; birds with golden feathers like you are really rare these days, especially in Japan."

"I-I'm fine with my feathers color b-but Umi's memories…"

Nozomi looked at Kotori sadly, "I am sorry but that is how it is. Your feathers are not enough for the payment, so I need Umi's memories too."

"S-so Umi won't remember anything about me?"

"Sadly, yes."

"B-But-"

"Stop whining," Eli said suddenly, making Kotori look at the fox, "You want to protect this girl right? So why are you dwelling so much about it? It was just memories; compared to her life, it's nothing. Beside you will turn into a human, I don't think her memories about you will do much aside from her panicking because she thinks you went missing or something."

"Elicchi," Nozomi warned the fox who looked at Nozomi.

"But Nozomi…"

"I-It's okay," Kotori suddenly chirped, making Nozomi and Eli look at her, "Wh-what Eli said is right: compared to her life, it was nothing."

"Are you sure about this?"

Kotori nodded, "Yes."

Nozomi smiled. "Okay, it's a deal then," Nozomi said as she flicked her fingers and in the blink of her eyes, Kotori's golden feathers suddenly changed color into gray.

"W-wow…" Kotori said in awe as she looked down at her body, inspecting it.

"Now eat the seeds," Nozomi said, "You will turn into a human once you wake up. I will turn you back to a week before Umi's death; it will give you plenty of time to spend with her and gain her trust."

Kotori looked at the seeds in front of her before she looked at Nozomi, "W-will I be able to help Umi-chan?"

Nozomi sighed as she shook her head. "There's no guarantee about that. I can't say for sure that you can help Umi, since even with my help, there's some things that we can't avoid no matter how much we want to; it's called Fate. If Fate wants something to happen to Umi then it will be hard for you to stop it."

"Th-Then does that mean it's meaningless?!"

"No, I said it's hard, not impossible," Nozomi smiled at Kotori. "Let me tell you something about Fate, Kotori. Fate is just like me; she is a merchant. If you want to save Umi, then you have to give something to Fate just like how you gave me your feathers and Umi's memories."

"B-But I don't know what I can give to her…" Kotori chirped sadly as she looked down.

"You will figure it out, Kotori," Nozomi said, smiling gently towards the little bird. "I am sure of it. Now go and eat the seeds." Nozomi gestured at the seeds and Kotori gave Nozomi one more look before she looked down at the seeds and finally ate it.

^8^

When Kotori opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the bright blue sky above her. She blinked her eyes as she tried to touch her head with her wings, trying to ease the pain she felt when suddenly she realized something was different. Instead of wings, what greeted her were hands - human hands that looked just like Umi's hands.

"N-No way…" Kotori said softly before closed her mouth with both of her hands in surprise, she couldn't believe it, she's not chirping; instead she let out a voice, a human voice and she could even talk in human language. "S-So it's not a dream?" Kotori asked herself as she looked around, realizing that she was still in the alley where the accident happened. Kotori quickly stood up, staggering a bit as she was now standing with two human feet, and then walked out as fast as she could from the alley with only one destination in her mind.

" _Umi-chan, I need to find her!"_ Kotori thought as she walked towards the direction that she remembered at the back of her mind: the direction of Umi's house. Kotori walked for a while before deciding that she was already good at it and decided to run, something that she usually saw Honoka do when Umi wanted to scold the girl.

It was hard at first for Kotori to run but after a few minutes she finally got used to it and she decided that running almost felt like flying with the wind hitting her face. She looked up at the sky and smiled, feeling lucky that although she could never fly again, she could still feel like she was.

"Honoka, watch out!" a voice that Kotori recognized really well suddenly shouted, making Kotori look away from the sky to in front of her but all she saw was ginger hair before she felt her body crash, sending her to the ground painfully.

"Ouch…" Kotori mumbled with closed eyes as she tried to ease the pain on her back.

"I'm so sorry!"

Kotori looked up, and what she saw made her breath hitch. A pair of golden eyes that she always loved to see now looking straight at her with a hint of an apology in it, making Kotori smile. She really missed looking at Umi's eyes.

"Are you okay?" Umi asked softly as she reached out her hand towards Kotori.

Kotori looked away from Umi's eyes and towards the hand, her first instinct was to fly towards the hand like she always did, however she realized that she couldn't do that anymore. She was a human now so with a small smile, she took Umi's hand with her own and held it tightly.

"Ye-Yes, I'm fine, Umi-chan," Kotori said as Umi pulled the girl up.

"Thank god - wait, you know my name?" Umi asked as she looked at Kotori confusedly.

The girl only smiled at Umi as she silently vowed, _"This time I will be the one who will protect you Umi-chan, I promise."_

^8^

"What are you thinking, Umi-chan?" a loud voice coming from her left ear making Umi jump slightly from her chair; she quickly turned her gaze away from the empty desk in front of her towards the smiling ginger hair girl beside her.

"Honoka," Umi began, looking at the girl disapprovingly, "It's not nice to do that."

"I'm sorry, Umi-chan, I can't help it," Honoka said sheepishly with a small chuckle, "So what are you thinking of, Umi-chan? You've been awfully quiet; not that you're not since you usually are but more quiet than usual. You didn't even realize that it's already time for us to go home."

"What?!" Umi shouted in surprised; she didn't even hear the school bell ring at all.

"Yup, that's why I'm kind of worried about you, Umi-chan." Honoka said, frowning, "Is something wrong?"

Umi sighed, "No, it just... I feel like I'm forgetting something but no matter how much I try to remember it, I just can't."

"Wow, that's weird…" Honoka said, tilting her head. "It's unusual for you to forget something, Umi-chan."

"Yeah…" Umi nodded, frowning.

"But if you really can't remember it, it's probably just your feelings or not that important at all since you forgot it," Honoka said, beaming happily.

"I don't think that is the case…"

"Just trust me, Umi-chan!" Honoka said happily as she quickly grabbed the bluenette girl's arm and pull her up. "Now come on, I can't wait to go to this amazing bakery I just found out from Mika today!"

"You and your bread obsession," Umi said, shaking her head, "You'll get fat."

"I won't, don't worry!" Honoka laughed as she pulled the bluenette girl along. She smiled brightly and Umi found herself smiling as well. However, Umi still couldn't stop the nagging feeling she's been feeling since this morning about forgetting something; the feeling that has been intensified the moment she met that girl this morning.

The mysterious girl who seems to know her.

" _ **I'm sorry but…" Umi gaze at the girl's chocolate eyes, "Have we met before?"**_

 _ **The girl smiled faltered when she heard Umi's question. There was so much emotion that flashed on the girl's chocolate eyes that Umi barely registered before she looked down, avoiding Umi's eyes. Her bangs covered her face and her shoulders scrunched up beside her ears as her arms came to encircle her stomach.**_

 _ **Umi can feel her stomach crunch in discomfort and guilt as she saw how fragile and sad the girl was from her question.**_

" _ **Uhm I-"**_

"… _ **Kotori." The girl said suddenly, stopping Umi in mid-sentence. Her voice was really small, just slightly above a whisper that Umi thought she misheard it at first.**_

" _ **Eh?"**_

 _ **The girl looked up, golden eyes met chocolate one.**_

" _ **My name is Kotori," the girl said, this time more clearly as she gave Umi a small smile and in that second, Umi's breath hitched while her heart beat thunderously. Never ever in her life had Umi seen a smile that looked so sad and so painful. As if the girl was hiding her sorrow and buried it deeply in her heart.**_

" _Just who are you, Kotori…?"_ Umi thought with a sigh.

^8^

Umi looked at the sight in front of her in disbelief as she tried to make sense of the situation she saw right now. She thought that she would never meet Kotori again after the encounter they had this morning which quickly ended when Honoka grabbed her and run to the school, claiming that they would be late. She shouted an apology towards the ashen hair girl, but yet she met the girl again, right now standing a few meters ahead her, on her way home from the bakery she and Honoka went to. However, that was not what surprised Umi, no it was the fact that the girl Kotori was surrounded by birds, many many birds around her which made Umi think that she was in some kind of a fairy tale book. By the girl's face, she looked really happy while talking and chatting with the birds.

As she walked closer to the girl, she heard Kotori say, "…Yeah, she's the one I'm waiting for." towards the bird on her shoulder which the bird replied with a chirp before the ashen hair girl suddenly turned her head towards Umi and smiled brightly.

"Hi, Umi-chan!" Kotori said, there's no trace of the sadness and painfulness that Umi saw this morning in Kotori's smile, making Umi wonder if what she saw before was just a trick of her mind.

"Hello, Kotori," Umi said, slightly bowing towards the girl; she then looked around the girl who was still surrounded by birds, but this time, all birds were looking at her, making Umi feel uncomfortable, "Uhm… what are you doing?"

"I'm talking to these nice birds," Kotori said; she gestured towards the birds around her as if they understood. They all chirped in unison startling Umi, slightly frightened by the situation she was in right now.

"…I see," Umi said slowly.

"They were really nice for accompanying me," Kotori said, smiling towards the birds.

The bird on Kotori's shoulder chirped suddenly gaining the two girls attention. While Umi looked at the bird in confusion, Kotori smiled towards it and nodded her head before saying "Yes, thank you." And with that all the birds suddenly flew away, leaving Kotori together with Umi who stood in awe and still in disbelief of what she just saw.

"Are you going home, Umi-chan?" Kotori softly asked, pulling Umi's attention away from the birds towards her.

Umi nodded her head, "Yes."

"Can I accompany you? Just until you reach your home, I mean."

"Eh?" Umi looked at Kotori warily, at one side she really wanted to say no towards the girl; after all they just met this morning and trusting a stranger, a really weird stranger who seemed to know her and talked with birds was not safe. But on the other side, there's something about Kotori that Umi felt like she could trust her, besides Umi still felt curious about the girl. So in the end, Umi nodded her head, "Sure."

Kotori beamed a bright smile towards Umi, "Thank you! Let's go then, Umi-chan!"

Umi nodded her head once again before she and Kotori began walk to side-by-side. They walked in silence with Umi occasionally stealing a curious glance towards the other girl before Umi decided to break the silence with the question she's been dying to know the answer to.

"Kotori, have we met before?" Umi asked, making Kotori stop walking to look at her. "I've asked you before but you didn't answer my question." Umi explained; by now she also stopped walking and stared back at Kotori. "You seem to know me but no matter how hard I try to remember it, I can't."

"…Yes, we have." Kotori answered startling Umi.

"W-We have?"

"Yes, long long time ago. But I am not blaming you for forgetting our meeting," Kotori said as she resumed her walking, Umi quickly following her.

"I-"

"Even if you remember our meeting," Kotori looked at Umi, successfully cutting the bluenette girl next words as she offered a small smile, a smile that was just like the one Umi saw this morning: a sad and longing smiled that made Umi's heart beat against her ribcages, "You won't recognize me." Kotori continued.

"Wh-Why? What makes you say so?" Umi asked.

"Because that is the truth, Umi-chan." Kotori answered as she put her full attention now on Umi and then gestured at the building beside her. "Here we are, Umi-chan!"

Umi blinked as she looked at the building beside her, she didn't even realize that they had already arrived at her house, "…Yes. Thank you for walking me home Kotori."

Kotori chuckled, "I'm the one who should say thank you, Umi-chan, since I'm the one who asked for this and you allowed me." Kotori then went silent for a second before she asked rather nervously, "I'll see you later?"

Umi smiled, "Yes, see you later, Kotori."

Kotori beamed happily with Umi's answer as she quickly nodded her head, "Okay, see you later, Umi-chan!"

^8^

Umi never thought that she was a creepy person, at least not until now when all she could think about from the moment she arrived home was the mysterious girl, Kotori.

Umi couldn't seem to erase her interaction with Kotori today, she kept remembering how Kotori smiled happily like she had nothing to worry about but in a second that smile changed into a sad, pained smile or how Kotori mysteriously could talk with birds, or Kotori's words to her.

No matter what Umi did, her mind kept coming back to Kotori. She even missed her shots many times during her practice before which made her father frown and look at her in displease mixed with worried.

Umi told her father that she just felt tired when he asked her about her condition since there's no way Umi could tell him the real reason.

"This is shameless, I shouldn't keep thinking about her like this," Umi said frowning in displeasure of herself as she shook her head when she once again drowned in her own thoughts about a certain ashen hair girl. "Get a grip of yourself, Umi," Umi mumbled as she let out a small sigh and stood up from her bed.

Umi walked towards her closet, grabbing her jacket and putting it on hastily. She really needed to clear her mind or she wouldn't be able to function at all and right now, the only way that Umi could think of to clear her mind was to go jogging around the neighborhood.

"I'm going for a jog, mother!" Umi shouted as she put on her shoes, knowing exactly that her mother will hear her from the kitchen.

"Don't go out too late!" came her mother's reply.

"Of course," Umi answered before she walked out from her house. She took a deep breath, feeling somehow already relaxed with the cold feeling the night air gave to her before she started her jog.

Umi always liked jogging; aside from being a good sport to train her lungs and fitness, jogging always helped her feel relaxed and cleared her mind. Unfortunately, for her, the jogging now was not helping her at all. How could it help her when it didn't even take a few minutes of jogging for Umi, for the third time today, saw the same girl that kept occupying her mind?

Kotori was there at the park near Umi's house but what made Umi frown was the state Kotori was in right now. Instead of sitting, she was laying on the bench looking at the night sky above her with her hand reached out as if she wanted to catch a star.

Concerned for the girl, Umi slowly walked towards where Kotori was and softly called the girl's name as she didn't want to startle the girl. "Kotori?"

Kotori looked towards Umi, blinking slowly as if she was registering that Umi was there standing beside her before she gave Umi a bright smile as she quickly got up from her laying position, "Umi-chan!"

"What are you doing here, Kotori?" Umi asked, frowned still latched on her face, "It's getting late."

"I'm looking at the sky!" Kotori answered happily.

Umi shook her head, "It's dangerous to be in here at night, Kotori. You should go home, you can watch the night sky from your home too."

Kotori looked away as she softly whispered, "I don't have a home anymore."

"I'm sorry, what?" Umi asked, shocked with what Kotori had just said to her.

"I don't have a home anymore."

"…How?"

"Something happened," Kotori answered before she finally looked at Umi again and gave Umi her bright smile, "But don't worry, I'm okay! Beside it's totally worth it."

"What's worth it?"

"Seeing you here is worth it," Kotori bluntly said, making Umi blush furiously. Just what in the world did the ashen hair girl mean? Was she implying that she lost her home because of Umi? But how can that be possible?

"That doesn't make any sense…" Umi mumbled as she looked away from Kotori's blinding smile.

"Really?" Kotori asked, blinking innocently at Umi. "I think it does make sense."

Umi let out an awkward cough, "But if that's the case, then where are you staying, Kotori?"

"Here."

"…Here?"

"Yes." Kotori nodded her head, "I used to live here before when I was a little, so I am sure I can adapt just well enough."

Umi frowned, she really wanted to ask what Kotori meant with she used to live in the park when she was just a kid but on the other hand Umi thought that it was not really wise to ask Kotori about it. What if Umi touched a sensitive spot and made Kotori upset? She definitely didn't want that to happen especially not when Kotori seemed to need help right now.

In the end, Umi let out a small sigh before she reached out her hand towards Kotori. "Come here," Umi said in a soft voice.

Kotori looked at Umi's hand with wide eyes before she looked at her.

"It's dangerous for a girl to be out here, especially at night like this. So if you don't mind…" Umi offered a small smile towards Kotori, "Come with me, I have one spare room in my house so you can spend the night there."

Umi knew that it was dangerous to bring someone she barely knew like Kotori to come with her and stay in her house but there was no way Umi could let Kotori spend the night in the open like that; it was more dangerous and besides Umi's conscience wouldn't let her do that.

Kotori's brown eyes sparkled in the dark as it was filled with unshed tears; Umi gulped nervously, _"Am I doing too much?"_ Umi thought.

Umi's thought was cut abruptly the moment a shaking, yet warm hand wrapped around hers and a soft quivering voice said, "…Thank you, Umi-chan."

Umi smiled gently as she pulled the girl to stand and then wiped the tears that finally flowed down to Kotori's cheeks, "You are welcome, Kotori."

^8^

It has been a few days since that night when Umi brought Kotori to her house and told her parents about Kotori's condition hoping that they would let Kotori stay for the night there. At first, she thought that her parents would probably just let the girl stay there for one night but to her surprise, her parents not only let Kotori spend the night, they also offered to let Kotori stay as long as she needed, making Kotori cry again that night; Umi spent a long time after calming down the girl.

" _ **Thank you…" Kotori softly mumbled inside Umi's embrace. Usually the bluenette girl wouldn't do something so shameless like this but Kotori seemed like she really needed it and Umi just didn't have the heart to let the girl cry there alone even though the tears were probably from the happiness she felt right now.**_

" _ **It's fine," Umi said softly as she patted the girl's back, trying her best to ignore her parents who watched their interaction with a weird smile on their face and put all of her attention towards Kotori, "Stop crying, Kotori."**_

 _ **Kotori looked up.**_

 _ **Golden eyes met brown teary eyes, making the owner of the golden eyes' heart skip a beat.**_

" _ **Thank you, Umi-chan…"Kotori mumbled softly.**_

 _ **Umi smiled, "You already said that but you are welcome, Kotori."**_

Ever since that day, Kotori became Sonoda's family member. Umi's parents treated the ashen hair girl as if she was their own daughter while Umi and Kotori's relationship grew stronger as the days went by. Everyday Umi learned many new things about Kotori which while it never failed to amused her, it also made her almost die from embarrassment.

Like that one time when Umi offered Kotori to take a bath first:

" _ **You can go and take a bath first, Kotori." Umi said as she handed the girl the towel in her hands.**_

" _ **Thank you, Umi-chan…" Kotori said as she took the towel and looked at it, almost like to examine it which made Umi arch her eyebrows. The way Kotori reacted when Umi handed her the towel almost like she never saw any towel before in her life which is actually quite impossible.**_

" _ **You are welcome," Umi answered, "If you need help, please don't hesitate to call me."**_

 _ **Kotori nodded, "I will."**_

" _ **Okay, take your time," Umi said with a smile before she walked out of the bathroom, leaving the other girl alone to have her own time.**_

 _ **However, it didn't even take more than ten steps before Umi heard Kotori helplessly shout, making Umi quickly run towards the bathroom, afraid that something bad happened to the ashen hair girl.**_

" _ **What's wrong, Kotori?!" Umi shouted as she slid opened the door in a rush.**_

 _ **The sight that greeted Umi, however made Umi's widened her eyes as all of her blood rushed towards her face making her looked like a boiled crab.**_

 _ **There, standing right in front of her was Kotori wearing nothing but her undergarments which she seemed to be having some difficulty with.**_

" _ **Umi-chan!" Kotori shouted happily as she looked at the bluenette girl and beamed her bright happy smile, totally oblivious at the internal screaming Umi did right now as the latter tried her best to look everywhere other than Kotori while muttering under her breath, "Shamelessshamelessshameless."**_

" _ **Please help me, Umi-chan?" Kotori pouted which Umi saw from the corner of her eyes and made her face become redder - if that was even possible.**_

" _ **Wh-What d-do you need?" Umi stuttered the words.**_

" _ **I don't know how to take these things off…" Kotori said as she gestured at her undergarments, "Can you please take it off for me?"**_

 _ **The last thing that Umi heard was a loud panicked shout calling her name and then nothing else.**_

Or when Umi just simply watched two birds on the branch and yet Kotori found a way to make things become awkward:

" _ **What are you doing, Umi-chan?" Kotori asked as she sat beside Umi.**_

" _ **I'm just observing those two birds," Umi answered as she pointed towards two birds on the branch which are making some kind of weird sounds in Umi's opinion.**_

 _ **Kotori looked at where Umi pointed and let out a loud gasp as her eyes went wide. She quickly closed her eyes with her two hands before suddenly shouting at the bewildered Umi, "Umi-chan, you pervert!"**_

" _ **Wh-What ?" Umi shouted confusedly as her face color now change into bright red with Kotori sudden accusation.**_

" _ **How could you look at those two?" Kotori shouted again, eyes still closing before she suddenly stood up and ran away from the confused and embarrassed Umi all while shouting, "Umi-chan, you pervert!"**_

She can be really weird too like that one time when she suddenly told her to be aware of Honoka pushing her and then came to Umi's school just to ask her if she fell down or not that day:

" _ **So you didn't fall today at all right, Umi-chan?" Kotori asked with a nervous smile on her face.**_

" _ **Yes," Umi nodded her head; she was confused at how Kotori acted but she still answered it anyway, "I did not. I did what you told me to do, I didn't let Honoka push me around."**_

" _ **That's good…" Kotori said happily as let out a sigh of relief, "That's really good, Umi-chan."**_

But after Umi learned many things about Kotori, Umi concluded that the girl in fact was still just like a kid; a kid who was curious about many things. Just like right now, while they were at the amusement park and Kotori kept pulling Umi towards many rides here and there all while squealing joyfully.

Umi couldn't blame the girl for being this hyper though as she's never been to an amusement park in her life before either. That's why Umi even skipped practice for the first time in her life (with her parents approval of course) to bring the girl to this place. She just couldn't say no to Kotori especially not when the girl gave her a pleading, teary look.

"Umi-chan, I want to ride that!" Kotori shouted happily as she pointed to the biggest attraction in the park. "It looks fun!"

"The Ferris Wheel?" Umi asked as she looked at the attraction.

Kotori nodded her head eagerly as she grabbed Umi's arm and began to drag the bluenette girl towards the attraction leaving Umi with no choice but to just let the girl drag her.

They walked inside the cart, sitting the opposite of each other as the Ferris Wheel slowly went up.

"This is amazing!" Kotori said happily while she looked out the window as they went up a little higher.

Umi watched the delightful expression Kotori had with a small smile on her face. Feeling happy as well when she saw Kotori like that, she always hated it when Kotori had that sad smile she used to have.

"Hey, Umi-chan," Kotori called as she looked away from the window and stared at Umi.

"What is it, Kotori?"

"Uhm… what are they doing?" Kotori asked as she pointed towards the cart slightly below them.

Umi titled her head in confusion before she walked to Kotori's side and looked outside the window. At first Umi couldn't tell what she was looking at, but after a while, her eyes went wide and her face flushed. She quickly turned away from the shameful scenery and sat back on her seat, but this time with her back straightened in a strict manner while Kotori looked at her with her curious gaze.

"What are they doing, Umi-chan?" Kotori asked once again making Umi blush deepen.

"Uhm… they-uh…" Umi gulped down nervously as her eyes looked at everything but Kotori, "T-They are kissing."

"Kissing?" Kotori asked confusedly as she looked at the couple again with her curious eyes, "Why are they kissing each other?"

"Th-that's uhm…" Umi frowned deeply as she tried to fight the blush on her face and to find the right words to explain to Kotori; she really wanted to avoid this conversation but at the same time she knew that she couldn't. Not when Kotori seemed to be really curious about it, "Th-that's what people do to show how much t-they love each other." Umi said finally, hoping that Kotori at least will buy her poor explanation.

To her relief, Kotori nodded her head but that relief didn't last when suddenly Kotori walked towards Umi's side and sat right beside the blushing girl.

"Wh-What is it?" Umi asked as she looked at Kotori who had been staring at her intently.

"Uhm… Umi-chan, you said people kiss each other to show how much they love each other right?"

"Uh… yes?"

"Then… should I kiss you too?"

"WHAT?!" Umi shouted as she slid away from Kotori in reflex until her back hit the cart wall. Her eyes went wide as her face became much redder. "Wh-What are you talking about, Kotori?!"

"I just want to show you how much I love you, Umi…"

"Wh-wh-what?"

Kotori smiled gently as she looked into Umi's golden eyes, "I love you."

"I love you."

^8^

Finally.

Finally Kotori could tell Umi those three words.

Those three words are the words that Kotori always longed to tell Umi, words that she couldn't possibly have said when she was just a bird.

Kotori held Umi's gaze as she leaned closer to Umi, an action that she just learned a few seconds before when she watched those two humans. She can feel her heart beating really fast and blood rushing to her face as she inched closer towards Umi.

Kotori looked as Umi slowly closed her eyes as their gap shortened and in response Kotori too tightly closed her eyes. It was such a weird feeling, Kotori concluded, she used to have her face this close with Umi but then why did she feel different now? She felt scared, no scratch that - instead of scared she was nervous. Really nervous. But then why was she nervous in the first place?

Kotori never found her answer.

As soon as her lips touched Umi's, she forgot about everything and the only thing that filled her thoughts was just how warm and soft her owner's lips were. She never thought that human lips could be this soft and warm. Not only her mouth but Kotori felt that her whole body was filled with warmth from the kiss.

The kiss lasted only for a few seconds before Kotori pulled away.

Brown eyes meet golden.

And in that moment Kotori felt a sudden rush to tell Umi about her feelings.

So once again, Kotori says those three words.

"I love you, Umi-chan," Kotori whispered softly as she looked at the blushing Umi, "I love you so much."

^8^

Kotori was looking at the canned drink in her hands with a frown when Umi finally said something after she went silent from the moment they stepped out from the cart until now.

"L-Let me help you," Umi said softly as she offered her hand towards Kotori, gesturing to the girl to gave her the canned drink.

Obediently, Kotori gave Umi her drink and watched the bluenette girl.

"K-Kotori, about the ki- Ow!" Umi tried to open the conversation but she was cut abruptly when her finger was accidentally cut by the can lid.

"Umi-chan!" Kotori shouted in panic as she quickly grabbed Umi's hand and inspected it closely.

Kotori's eyes widened as she looked at Umi's bleeding finger.

"It's okay, it just a small cut." Umi said reassuringly but her words fell into deaf ears.

Kotori expression changed into a fearful one as her hands that held Umi's own hand were trembling greatly.

"N-No… this can't be…" Kotori said as she shook her head. "I-I thought if I brought you here this won't happen… b-but why?"

"Kotori?" Umi asked confusedly as she looked at Kotori worriedly.

Kotori looked up from Umi's finger, "Umi-chan, tell me." Kotori said pleadingly as she looked at Umi's eyes, "Th-that time when I told you to be careful around Honoka… y-you really didn't fall right? Right?"

"Y-yes."

"…Really?"

"Yes." Umi nodded her head firmly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I am, Kotori," Umi said, she was really confused at how Kotori was behaving right now. The girl acted really weird right now, weirder than she usually was. "It's okay, Kotori. Really, it was just a small cut."

"But-"

"Really, it's okay. Now let's go," Umi said as she offered her unwounded hand towards Kotori, all of the embarrassment she felt from before gone as right now, just wanted to show Kotori that it was fine. She was okay and there's nothing for the girl to feel afraid of, it's not like she could die from a small cut like this.

"Okay…" Kotori softly said as she took Umi's hand. Her hand still trembled so Umi squeezed the girl's hand reassuringly and gave the girl a warm gentle smile, "Let's go home."

^8^

"Are you okay?" Umi asked as she looked at Kotori who hadn't said anything yet even though they already arrived in front of their house.

The entire walk was filled with nothing but silence, just like before but this time it wasn't an awkward silence but a heavy kind of silence that made Umi become more worried as seconds passed.

Kotori nodded her head.

"Kotori, look, I-"

A loud singing voice suddenly came from Umi's jeans pocket, startling Umi while Kotori beside her flinched.

"I'm sorry…" Umi said apologetically to Kotori as she quickly pulled her phone outside from her pocket and read the text that her mother had just sent to her. "It's mother," Umi said as she looked at Kotori, "Seems like she wants me to go and buy salt for her since we're out of it. You can go inside the house first, Kotori; I'm going to go buy salt at the convenience store."

"….Don't go," Kotori softly said as she grabbed Umi's shirt when the girl turned around. "Please don't go…"

"Kotori?" Umi asked worriedly as she looked at Kotori.

"Please Umi-chan… don't go."

"I will be fast, Kotori," Umi said softly as she patted Kotori's head, "The convenience store is just a few minutes walk from here."

Kotori shook her head, "Please…"

"Hey, it will be okay," Umi said, "Just take a rest inside the house and wait for me. I will be back before you know it, okay?" Umi then offered one last smile towards Kotori before she softly pulled Kotori's hand from her shirt and then ran towards the convenience store. She needed to get there fast so Kotori wouldn't have to wait for her for a long time.

^8^

Kotori looked at the road where Umi went as a tear finally fell down from her eyes.

" _ **Let me tell you something about Fate, Kotori. Fate is just like me; she is a merchant. If you want to save Umi, then you have to give something to Fate just like how you gave me your feathers and Umi's memories."**_

That was what Nozomi said before but that time she didn'tunderstandwhat it meant.

" _ **You will figure it out, Kotori."**_

Nozomi was right, she did. She finally did figure it out.

" _ **Umi-chan… you really didn't fall that day right?" Kotori asked once again, she was afraid. She was afraid that she got it wrong, she thought that if she was careful and brought Umi to the amusement park on the day of the accident, Umi would be safe but it's not like that.**_

 _ **No.**_

 _ **She forgot about what Nozomi told her before that: if Fate wants something to happen to Umi then it will be hard for her to stop it.**_

 _ **But then why; Umi didn't fall that day? There must be something that Kotori missed.**_

" _ **How many times should tell you that I did not." Umi said as she squeezed Kotori's hand once again, "I didn't fall that day. But…" Umi frowned.**_

" _ **But?"**_

" _ **But Honoka did."**_

 _ **Kotori's eyes widened in surprised, "What?"**_

" _ **It's not me, but Honoka. She fell down when I avoided her push that day."**_

She hoped there was another way as she still wanted to spend her time with Umi, she still wanted to be with her.

But she knew it wasn't possible.

She was running out of the time and if she wanted to save Umi, she need to act fast now.

Kotori quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and ran towards where Umi just went. She ran towards the familiar road she used to go with Umi when she was just a bird as her mind kept telling her to go faster and faster as she couldn't be late.

She ran passed the store that Umi usually bought some food for her there.

She ran passed the bench where Umi and her used to sit down for hours doing nothing and just watching clouds drift by.

She ran passed the music store where Umi used to play the flute while she sing on Umi's shoulder.

And she ran passed the park where she first met Umi.

The park which holds two dear memories for her.

When Umi took her in for the first time when she was just a little bird and the second time when she was a human.

Kotori ran and ran before she finally arrived at the front of the alley, the alley which holds a terrible memory for her. The day when she lost Umi.

Kotori's hands and legs trembled hard as she let out a short breath. She didn't know if it was from the run she just did or from the fear that she felt right now.

The fear of seeing the same thing she saw before.

Kotori took a shaky deep breath as she took a few steps towards the alley.

The fear of seeing her nightmare once again.

She could hear the shouting that came from deep inside the alley from where she stood right now and that made her eyes widened.

The fear of being late.

She ran as fast as she could, as fast as her human legs allowed her.

The fear of losing life.

"Umi-chan!" Kotori shouted loudly making the bluenette girl turn away from the man in front of her. Her golden eyes widened in surprise and fear.

"Kotori!" Umi shouted.

And in that split of second, Kotori saw that man. The same man that stabbed Umi before running towards the bluenette girl, holding the same sharp object that killed Umi.

"Umi-chan!" Kotori shouted as she pushed herself once again to run.

Nozomi voice once again appearing in her mind, _**" If you want to save Umi, then you have to give something to Fate."**_

" _If that is how it is, then I will pay it. I will give my payment to Fate. Just like how Honoka was the one who fell down in Umi's place, let me be the one who also takes Umi's place. Let me be the one who dies in Umi's place."_

And with that thought, Kotori pushed Umi away as the knife finally stabbed her stomach.

"Kotori!" Umi shouted loudly in fear.

The ashen hair girl fell down on her knees, holding her stomach. She was in so much pain but even in her state, she couldn't help but feel happy; happy that she could finally protect Umi.

"Are you crazy?! Why'd you stab her?!" the woman shouted angrily at the man who looked as if he was also shocked.

"I-I didn't mean to! It's supposed to be the other girl!" the man shouted back. "She punch me so I just wanted to teach her a lesson!"

"By stabbing?!"

"Enough of this, we need to get out now before the police come!" The other man shouted.

"How about the other girl?!"

"Leave her, I doubt she can do anything…" the woman finally said with a sighed as she looked at Umi who was too shaken to do anything aside from looking at Kotori.

The three of them then ran away, leaving Umi and Kotori alone in the alleyway.

"Kotori!" Umi shouted as tears fell down from her eyes. She finally found her strength to ran towards Kotori's direction and cradled the girl inside her embrace; Kotori couldn't help but smile. She felt happy that she could feel Umi's warmth embrace one last time. "Please hold on a few minutes longer… I-I will call the ambulance to come!" Her eyes were frantically searching around the ground to where her phone fell down when she was avoiding those men's attacks.

"N-No need," Kotori softly said as she grabbed Umi's hand, making the bluenette look at her. "J-Just stay here with me, Umi-chan…" Kotori weakly said as she coughed out blood, making Umi tightened her hold.

"Wh-What are you talking about? Y-You need medical attention now, Kotori, a-and my phone was ju-just around her, I just need to-"

"Pl-please…" Kotori smiled weakly, "Pl-please just st-stay with me? Just let me st-stay like this."

"Kotori-"

"I'm so sorry…" Kotori said between her heavy breath, "I-I'm so sorry, Umi-chan."

"Wh-Why are you saying sorry right now, Kotori?! I-I am the one who should say sorry to you!" Umi said between her sobs. She buried her face on Kotori's hair, "I-If only I-I didn't follow th-that woman, i-if only I-"

"Pl-Please don't cry, Umi-chan…" Kotori said with a frown; she hated it when Umi cried, she wanted Umi to smile. So with a trembling hand, she wiped Umi's tears just to replace it with her own blood.

"Please… please stay with me, Kotori…" Umi whispered, holding Kotori's hand.

"I-I'll always stay with you, Umi-chan. Since long time before until now, I'll always st-stay by you… e-even when you didn't see me, I will always be there." Kotori softly said.

"Don't say that! Please… please don't say that…"

"I-I want you to live yo-your life happily, Umi-chan. I want to see you ke-keep smiling…"

"If you want that then please don't go… I'm begging you…" Umi said as she tightened her hold.

Kotori closed her eyes, instead of the pain she felt right now on her stomach, the pain from her heart when she saw Umi cried was greater. It really hurt her to see Umi cry like that.

"I-It should be me! It should be me who-" Umi's eyes widened as a memory flashed in her mind. "I-It's not you…" Umi softly said as she put her hand on her stomach. Her eyes looked unfocused. "I-It's me… I-I am the one who should be lying here with that wound."

Kotori's eyes widened in surprise; did Umi remember it? But why? Why of all times, did she need to remember it now? She wasn't supposed to remember it.

Umi looked at Kotori.

She remembered everything now.

It should be her who was lying there with that wound on her stomach and not Kotori.

She remembered the pain that she felt when the knife stabbed her and how she could feel her own heart beating slowly and almost painfully against her ribcage before it finally stopped.

But if her memories were right, then why… why was she even still here?

Why was she still alive in the first place?

"U-Umi-chan…?" Kotori asked worriedly.

"Kotori…" Umi softly said as her golden eyes looked straight at Kotori's brown ones, searching desperately for an answer, "Wh-Who are you, Kotori…?"

Hearing Umi's question made Kotori forget all about her pain. She was afraid. What should she say to Umi? The truth? But then is that the right choice to say?

"I…I…" Kotori gave Umi a pleading look, wishing that Umi wouldn't force her to answer the question.

Umi's eyes widened.

She remembered that she saw the same look that time.

" _ **I..I'm sorry…**_ _ **I-I don't think I can go home with you."**_

That's right, that time when Umi was dying she remembered someone was there with her, giving her that same pleading look. She wasn't alone.

No…

In fact she was never alone.

There was always someone with her.

"…N-No way." Umi's hand trembled as her tears kept flowing down from her eyes. She looked at Kotori in disbelief.

Umi didn't want to believe it. But no matter how hard she wanted to deny it, she couldn't. Not when this made everything make sense.

The nagging feeling about her forgetting something important.

The sad smile on Kotori's face.

The weird actions Kotori always did.

And all Kotori's words made sense now.

" _ **Kotori, have we met before? You seem to know me but no matter how hard I try to remember it, I can't."**_

"… _ **Yes, we have."**_

" _ **W-We have?"**_

" _ **Yes, long long time ago. But I am not blaming you for forgetting our meeting."**_

" _ **I-"**_

" _ **Even if you remember our meeting, you won't recognize me."**_

" _ **Wh-Why? What makes you say so?"**_

" _ **Because that is the truth, Umi-chan."**_

"N-No way…" She whispered once again.

" _ **I don't have a home anymore."**_

"… _ **How?"**_

" _ **Something happened, but don't worry, I'm okay! Beside it's totally worth it."**_

" _ **What's worth it?"**_

" _ **Seeing you here is worth it."**_

"K-Kotori?" Umi softly whispered calling Kotori name as her trembling hands cupped Kotori's face. "I-is this really you?" The moment those words left Umi's mouth and how Umi looked at her lovingly, the same way she used to look at her when she was just a bird, Kotori realized that Umi finally remembered. She finally remembered her.

"U-Umi-chan…"

Umi let out a small shallow chuckle, "H-How stupid am I… H-How could I forgot you? I-I…"

"I-It's not your fault, Umi-chan…" Kotori weakly said as she grabbed Umi's hand and gently squeezed it.

"Wh-Why?" Umi asked softly as she finally understood everything, "Why did you do this? T-This should be my wound… " Umi said as she put her hand on Kotori's stomach. "I-I am the one who supposed to be i-in this state, not you!"

"I-I'm sorry…"

"W-Why…?" Umi sobbed as she brought her head on Kotori's chest and cried, "W-Why did you do this…? I… I still want to be with you Kotori… I…"

"Umi-chan…." Kotori softly called Umi. She could feel that her strength leaving her as it became harder and harder for her to stay awake and to talk but even so she needed to tell Umi everything, she didn't want to have any regrets, "Th-thank you, for always protecting me, Umi-chan…"

"K-Kotori…"

"Th-thank you for giving me a home, thank you for giving me a name, thank you for giving me a family… and thank you for giving me love." Kotori said with a small gentle smile. "I-I love you, Umi-chan."

Umi's body stiffened as she cried harder. Her hands clung onto Kotori's dress tightly as she let out a small, whimpered voice.

Brown eyes meet teary golden eyes as the owner leaned closer to Kotori, giving the girl a kiss. A kiss that was just like the kiss they shared in Ferris Wheel. The sweet and soft kiss, but this time the kiss tasted like tears and blood unlike before, the taste that made Umi cry harder.

The moment Umi leaned away, a bright light surrounded Kotori, forcing Umi to once again close her eyes and when she finally opened them, instead of a pair of Kotori's brown eyes, another pair of familiar eyes looked at her.

A pair of bird eyes gazing at her gently before it let out a small chirp and then just like how it suddenly appeared, the bird was gone, leaving just a golden feather on Umi's lap.

Umi clutched the bird's feather on her hands tightly as if her life depended on it before she too softly whispered between her sobs, "I-I love you too, Kotori… I love you… so much."

^8^

"So in the end, she did it." A girl with blonde hair said softly as she looked at the crying Umi's back. She's been watching the whole scene from the start and she couldn't help but feel sorry for both of the girls. If only there was a way to save them both.

"Yes, she did, Elicchi."

"Hey, Nozomi," Eli called, "Will she be fine?"

"Who? Umi-chan?"

"Yes…"

Nozomi nodded her head, "It will take time but she eventually will."

"That bird really loved her owner, didn't she?"

"She did, not as a pet for her owner but as a girl towards another girl and her owner was also in love with her. That's why in the end despite me taking her memories away she still managed to remember Kotori-chan. Too bad they couldn't be together." Nozomi said with a sad smile as she looked at Eli's icy blue eyes.

"…I feel sorry for them."

"And yet, you were so harsh towards Kotori-chan before," Nozomi teasingly said.

Eli blushed, "Th-that's-"

"It's okay, I understand," Nozomi said, chuckling softly before she gave one last sad glance towards Umi's back and turned away, "Let's go, Elicchi, we still have work to do."

Eli nodded her head before she transformed back to her fox form.

They walked side-by-side, looking for another soul who in need for their help.

* * *

 **A/N: I know that I said I will put all my one shot on the tumblr but you guys deserve this especially after I will be away on hiatus until idk when, I want to learn English better so I can write better since you guys deserve it.**

 **Thank you for reading this story until the end, I love you guys.**


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